Suspicion Grows Over 'Parasite' Actor's Death

Oscar-winning Parasite director Bong Joon-ho is among a host of South Korean figures in film who have called for an investigation into local police's handling of the drug case relating to Lee Sun-kyun, the actor who died by suicide last month.

Parasite star Lee's body was found inside a car in a park in Seoul on December 27 and the 48-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the Associated Press, police had launched a search for Lee after his family said he had left what appeared to be a suicide note.

The actor's sudden death came after he had been questioned by police on three occasions amid allegations of illegal drug use. According to local reports, one of those sessions ran for 19 hours over the weekend prior to his death.

Lee claimed that he had been tricked into taking drugs at the home of a club hostess, who he alleged had attempted to blackmail him. Local media further reported that Lee had taken a brief reagent test and a drug test by the National Forensic Service in November, which returned a negative result. A travel ban was imposed on Lee amid the ongoing investigations, police confirmed in October.

On Friday, filmmaker Bong was backed by a group of artists, trade associations and arts and cultural organizations as he called for an investigation into the methods used by police, as well as the sensationalist media coverage of the case.

Reading a statement at a press conference held at Seoul's Korea Press Center, Bong said, per Variety: "Throughout the two months, from the initial leak of internal information regarding the deceased's investigation to the time of his death, we urge a thorough investigation by the authorities to ascertain whether there were any lapses in police investigative security."

"We request a thorough investigation to determine if there were any unlawful media responses during the investigation," the statement added.

Becoming emotional as he spoke at the event, Bong also said: "We want to know if there was no individual media contact during the investigation, and we want the results to be made public so that there is no doubt."

While police have denied accusations of negligence or inappropriate behavior during the investigation of Lee's case, a number of the attendees who spoke at Friday's event were markedly critical of law enforcement's purported tactics regarding Lee.

"His three police appearances, from the simple reagent test to the negative test, were broadcast live to the media," Bong said. "Recordings of his incriminating statements were released to the media and public, and he made the tragic choice to end his life after a third 19-hour police summons."

Earlier in the week, a new organization, the Association of Solidarity Among Cultural Artists, implored local authorities and the media to work on preventing situations like Lee's case from happening again.

Police announced back in October that SAG Award-winning actor Lee was under investigation for suspected drug use. The investigation was launched after police received a tip-off that drugs were being circulated at an upscale club in the Gangnam district of Seoul, which was known to be frequented by Lee.

HODU&U Entertainment issued a statement to Korean media at the time, saying that the agency was "currently verifying the exact facts regarding the allegations" and "intended to fully cooperate" in the investigation.

The agency also stated that Lee filed a complaint for the "continuous blackmail and threats" made against him by a person involved in the case, in which it was alleged that marijuana was included in the drugs he had been accused of taking.

Lee was one of a number of South Korean celebrities reported to have been under investigation for alleged drug use. Police stated in October that a total of 10 people were being investigated, including Lee, rapper G-Dragon, a composer and an aspiring singer. G-Dragon was cleared last month following weeks of investigations.

Unverified rumors had reportedly spread online about other celebrities and their alleged connection to the latest case, including that members of K-pop band BTS were among the regular patrons of the aforementioned venue in Gangnam.

At the time, Big Hit Entertainment, the management company for BTS, told Korean media that members of the band had "nothing to do with the malicious rumors, which are not true at all" and that they "plan to take strong action against the indiscriminate spread of rumors."

Those who fall foul of South Korea's tough drug laws can face six months in prison. Repeat offenders and dealers face up to 14 years behind bars.

Actor Lee rose to international fame for his role as the patriarch of the wealthy Park family in Parasite, which won the best picture trophy at the 2020 Academy Awards. The win made history, with the film becoming the first non-English language movie to take the Best Picture award. The film also scooped awards for best directing, best international feature film and best original screenplay.

At the time of his death, Lee had been married for more than 14 years to actress Jeon Hye-jin, with whom he had two sons.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.